Workshops
REQUEST FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS
The CT NOFA Winter Conference educational slate of workshops is made possible thanks to the interest and enthusiasm of our knowledgeable community members. Are you an expert on a topic that would be of interest to conference attendees? We'd love to hear from you. Our workshop proposal window is open until January 10. Presenters are provided with free admission to the conference, as well as a $150 honorarium.
Workshop details
february 25 (online)
Organic Plant Disease Control
9:00 AM
YONGHAO LI | The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Tracks: TBA
Many garden and landscape plants are susceptible to one or more plant diseases that can reduce the yield of vegetable crops and disfigure ornamental plants. Prevention is the best remedy to dealing with most plant diseases, which is much easier, and more effective, than treating a disease after it has affected a plant. This presentation will discuss correct disease diagnosis and eco-friendly approaches to disease management by understanding pathogen features, disease cycles, host resistance, environmental factors, and biological control agents.
Forest Farming Meetup: Building the Restoration Seed Supply Chain in Connecticut
9:00 AM
SEFRA ALEXANDRA and DINA BREWSTER
Tracks: TBA
Are you curious about forest farming? Are you an experienced practitioner? Do you just love the woods?! Join us as we present the emerging work that has been conducted in the northeast around ecotypic seed increases and how we will now collectively apply this methodology to forest species.
In a significant move to support climate resilience and ecological restoration in Connecticut, The Hickories has received an NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to enhance the supply of locally adapted, ecotypic (native, regionally adapted) seeds for forest farming. This initiative builds on prior work by the Ecotype Project, and will expand The Hickories’ existing restoration seed farm (Northeast Seed Collective) from meadow species to include understory forest species such as willow, elderberry, and black cohosh. These species are vital for both ecological restoration and as crops for food, medicine, and other uses.
This project aims to address the need for ecotypic native plant material for forest farming and restoration in Connecticut, emphasizing climate resilience, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. By building a strong, community-driven supply chain for ecotypic seeds, we can enhance forest farming practices, support biodiversity, and contribute to broader restoration efforts in the Northeast.
Our goal is to start an informal conversation among like minded growers at the CT NOFA conference – Join us in this effort!
Advancing QTBIPOC Food Sovereignty: Exploring Food Justice Advocacy and Career Pathways
12:00 PM
JASMINE WILLIAMS-JACOBS | Black Remote She LLC
Tracks: TBA
This workshop will help attendees gain insight about career pathways and advocacy resources addressing food insecurity and advancing QTBIPOC food sovereignty. During the workshop, participants will be empowered with resources to help them engage with statewide, regional, and national food justice advocacy and mutual aid organizing efforts rooted in collective liberation. Additionally, participants will learn about career pathways and resources sustaining the food justice movement, including job networks, directories, and toolkits focused on building community power and an equitable food system. The end of the workshop will wrap up with a 15 minute Q&A to answer any questions related to food justice advocacy and careers.
february 26 (online)
How to Make Money with a Farm to Table Dinner
9:00 AM
Eric Fuchs-STENGEL | National Center for Appropriate Technology
Tracks: TBA
If you have fresh, local food and a beautiful farm, this is an ideal opportunity to generate additional income to diversify your revenue streams. Farm to Table dinners are an excellent way to build your customer base, gain brand loyalty, highlight your growing, and earn extra revenue. In this session you will learn the details of organizing a Farm to Table event, including preparing the farm grounds, creating the venue style, ordering the tableware, finding the right chef, discussing menu choices, processing payments, and marketing the event. This model works best for non-profits and community organizations but has relevancy for any small-scale commercial vegetable producers.
Feed Your Community with SNAP Online
12:00 PM
DANI GROVER and STEVE MUNNO
Tracks: TBA
Want to be able to accept SNAP/EBT payments for your CSA? Motivated to increase access to your food for all members of your community? Attendees of this workshop will learn how Hearty Roots Community Farm, a SNAP Online Certified Farm, has used the program to feed more members of their community through both CSA and retail sales. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the SNAP Online application process and how to begin their application.
february 27 (online)
Sorry there are no workshops posted yet.
March 1 (in-person at Eastern Connecticut state University)
session 1 (9:45am-11:00am)
Pasture Management for Beneficial Insects
9:45 AM
JULIE MICHAELSON | Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Tracks: TBA
This presentation will teach participants about the habitat needs and management benefits of conserving insects like pollinators, dung beetles, and predators/parasitoids of pests in pasture and silvopasture systems. Discussion will cover the role of beneficial insects (pollinators, decomposers, and predators/parasitoids of pests) in livestock operations and the habitat/management practices that support them, as well as an introduction to tools and methods for monitoring and identifying signs of beneficial insects. We will also more broadly cover habitats and design considerations that support pollinators/other beneficial insects outside of areas livestock use, such as forests, forest edges, and vegetative buffers around ponds or rivers (really, any place where there is some flowering resource), so there will be something for everyone to take away.
Land Access: Strategies for Security on Land
9:45 AM
WILL O'MEARA | Land for Good
Tracks: TBA
Land access is among the top issues facing new and beginning farmers as they kick start their careers in agriculture. A challenging and expensive real estate environment and the scarcity of farmland seem to make finding farmland more challenging each year. In this workshop, attendees will learn about how to conduct a land search, how to assess farmland and infrastructure, the pros and cons of leasing vs. owning farmland, and strategies for making farmland more affordable. We will also discuss resources available to farmers to improve land access outcomes, financing options, and concrete steps farmers can take to improve their readiness for leasing or purchasing farmland. Will O’Meara, the CT Field Agent with Land For Good and owner/operator of Hungry Reaper Farm in Morris, CT, will draw heavily on his personal experiences looking for land, and a series of leases that led them to move their farm three times in three years. Case studies from other farms in the region will complement the topics and strategies discussed.
Beekeeping Basics and Beeyond
9:45 AM
Eric FUCHS-STENGEL | National Center for Appropriate Technology
Tracks: TBA
Honeybees can be a great addition to your farm and life but are challenging to raise successfully. These special insects can increase annual crop yield, inspire your farm team, and provide you with energizing honey. In this session we will cover the fundamentals of beekeeping such as hive placement, varroa and pest management, as well as honey production and winter survival.
Policy and Regulatory Tools for Small Food Producers
9:45 AM
CHRISTINE DZUJNA | Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund
Tracks: TBA
Farmers, homesteaders, artisans, and cottage food makers have the right to produce the food they want, and consumers have the right to purchase what they want to feed their families. However, laws and regulatory overreach often restrict these choices. This workshop will explore key federal, state and local meat, poultry, raw milk, cottage food, and other regulations that impact small food producers, and the legal solutions that can help them remain viable and grow. You will also explore legislative, policy, and advocacy tools that seek to expand food freedom choice for everyone.
Audience members will be invited to share regulatory overreach stories and challenges so that we can workshop approaches and solutions.
session 2 (11:15am-12:30pm)
How to Use Record Keeping to Improve Your Business
11:15 AM
JARED KRAWITZ | Closter Farm & Livestock Co.
Tracks: TBA
Applying for and maintaining organic certification requires a significant amount of record keeping. At times, it can feel like a waste of energy to track all sorts of things that you may know intuitively, or at least think you know intuitively. A well designed record keeping system can provide valuable insight into how your business is performing, what crops/livestock are actually making you a profit, and what systems are holding your team back from being more efficient.
This discussion will highlight record keeping systems that we use at Closter Farm to track our organic processes, improve our margins, and build a better farm. This workshop is designed for farmers, farm employees, and other agriculture professionals with 3+ years of experience and assumes a working knowledge of agri-business.
How to Make Your Voice Heard at the CT State Legislature
11:15 AM
DR. KIMBERLY STONER | CT NOFA Director of Advocacy
Tracks: Policy and Advocacy
With the winds against us at the national level, advocacy at the state level is more important than ever. Learn about CT NOFA’s legislative priorities, and learn how to advocate for your priorities at the CT General Assembly. How to meet with your legislators, how to testify, understand the process by which bills get killed or get passed. You will come away with specific steps to take action.
session 3 (4:15pm-5:30pm)
Sorry there are no workshops posted yet.